News

A state senator from Cincinnati is introducing a bill that would let taxpayers get their income tax refund on a prepaid debit card.

Sen. Eric Kearney said the state needs to adjust to the marketplace.

“This prepaid debit card program will benefit those citizens that do not have a bank account for direct deposit, or for those who wish to avoid the hassle with paper checks and check cashing fees,” Kearney said in a statement. “They will also be able to use their prepaid debit cards in stores, online, over the phone, or anywhere that accepts debit cards.”

Hamilton County Commissioners are navigating the budget process for next year. No decisions have been made but they're already responding to comments from outgoing Sheriff Simon Leis that they plan to gut his department.

Leis threatens proposed cuts would mean laying off employees and reducing space at the overcrowded county jail.

Home sales in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky are up this July compared to the same time last year. In a release, the Cincinnati Area board of Realtors says sales were up more than 13 percent from July 2011 and the Northern Kentucky Association of Realtors show a seven percent increase for the same time period. This is the 13th consecutive month where home sales increased on a month to month comparison in Cincinnati.

Thirty-three thousand kids in the Cincinnati Public School District returned to class. Highlights include four new or renovated buildings. Western Hills High School is now a 7-12 school. Next year CPS will convert all its high schools to the 7-12 model.

Here are some pictures of kids in the Forest Hills School District, Anderson Township. Please post your first day pictures on the WVXU Facebook page.

There’s no word yet on what will happen to the two Democratic members of the Montgomery County Board of Elections who faced a hearing at the Ohio Secretary of State’s office this morning. Ohio Public Radio’s Jo Ingles has the latest in the fight to get in person, early voting on the weekends.

The University of Cincinnati and its academic partners are part a new national collaboration to better understand and treat brain injuries.

One Mind for Research , a non-profit organization based in Seattle, hopes to develop a scientific roadmap for curing brain disease within 10 years. UC and its affiliated institutions have been named one of eight U.S. academic partners.